Portsmouth’s deal with EPA on sewer plant approved

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro approved the deal, which includes the state of New Hampshire, U.S. Department of Justice and the Conservation Law Foundation, on Thursday…

…Tom Irwin, vice president and director of CLF New Hampshire, said the group is “pleased that both in his order and in comments from the bench that the court recognizes the significant value of the Piscataqua River and Great Bay estuary and the need to reduce pollution as quickly as possible.”

“The city will continue in its course to finally move away from primary treatment and include nitrogen controls and various other mitigation measures” by building the upgraded plant, he said.

Irwin said he wasn’t surprised that the group of residents plan on filing a lawsuit. “They are pursing the path that the court suggested procedurally,” Irwin said. “The court didn’t comment at all on what the merits of their suit might be.”